Drive stations

ABSTRACT

A drive station for a scraper-chain conveyor and an appliance carried thereby and having an assembly rotatably supporting a chain wheel for driving a chain coupled to the appliance. The assembly has a housing detachably secured to a frame supporting a drum for driving the scraper-chain assembly of the conveyor. The housing has a wedge piece welded into its structure to provide rigidity. This wedge piece projects outwardly from the housing and serves to guide the chain in relation to the chain wheel and to separate the upper and lower chain runs. Additional deflecting tongues attached to the wedge piece can also aid the guidance of the chain. A disc cover for the bearing of the drum can have bevelled-off peripheral edges for guiding the chain. The housing can be guided for movement in relation to the frame and the housing can be coupled to a hydraulic piston and cylinder unit which can move the housing to positions where access to the chain wheel and/or the bearing cover is facilitated.

United States Patent 91 Georg et a1.

[451 Mar. 18, 1975 1 DRIVE STATIONS [73] Assignee: Gewerkschat't Eisenhutte Westfalia,

Westfalia, Germany 221 Filed: July 14,1972

211 Appl. No.: 271,948

Primary Examiner-Evon C. Blunk Assistant Exmniner-Douglas D. Watts Attorney, Agent, or FirmSughrue, Rothwell, Minn, Zinn & Macpeak [57] ABSTRACT A drive station for a scraper-chain conveyor and an appliance carried thereby and having an assembly rotatably supporting a chain wheel for driving a chain coupled to the appliance. The assembly has a housing detachably secured to a frame supporting a drum for driving the scraper-chain assembly of the conveyor. The housing has a wedge piece welded into its structure to provide rigidity. This wedge piece projects outwardly from the housing and serves to guide the chain in relation to the chain wheel and to separate the upper and lower chain runs. Additional deflecting tongues attached to the wedge piece can also aid the guidance of the chain. A disc cover for the bearing of the drum can have bevelled off peripheral edges for guiding the chain. The housing can be guided for movement in relation to the frame and the housing can be coupled to a hydraulic piston and cylinder unit which can move the housing to positions where access to the chain wheel and/or the bearing cover is facilitated.

4 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures FATENTEU 1 8 i975 SHEU 1 OF 3 mm wm mm 9 ON mr DRIVE STATIONS BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION The present invention relates in general to drive stations for use with scraper-chain conveyors as employed in mineral mining.

This is known to provide a drive station with a frame which supports a drum used for driving the scraper chain assembly of the conveyor. Where an appliance, such as a clearing apparatus, a loading device or a winning machine such as a ripping machine or a plough, is to be moved along the conveyor it is also known to provide an assembly incorporating a chain wheel, which drives a chain coupled to the appliance, at one side of the frame.

A general object of this invention is provide an improved station of the aforementioned kind.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a station whereby the guidance of the chain coupled to the appliance is improved.

A further object of the invention is to provide a station wherein the accessibility of the components for replacement is improved.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In one aspect the invention provides an assembly composed of walls forming a housing with an opening at one end, a chain wheel disposed within the housing and engageable with an endless chain to effect driving thereof and guide means disposed in the region of said opening for guiding said chain onto and away fron the chain wheel, said guide means serving additionally to provide rigidity to said housing.

The guide means is preferably in the form ofa wedgeshaped member having inclined upper and lower surfaces converging in a direction away from the opening and providing guide surfaces for an upper and lower run 'of said endless chain. The wedge-shaped member can be welded between sidewalls of the housing to form a structural component thereof whilst guiding the chain onto and away from the chain wheel and separating the upper and lower runs of the chain from one another. Preferably the wedge-shaped member projects outwardly beyond the housing and has a widened portion external to the housing which is wider than the distance between the side walls.

The invention also provides an assembly for use with conveyor drive stations; said assembly comprising a housing composed of two parallel side walls interconnected with transverse webs, the housing having an opening at one end to allow passage for an endless chain, a chain wheel rotatably supported between the side walls and drivably engageable with said chain, a wedge-shaped member rigidly affixed between the side walls in the region of the opening; said guide member having upper and lower inclined surfaces which form guide surfaces for the upper and lower runs of the chain and a chain deflecting tongue attached to each of said upper and lower surfaces, said tongue having guide fingers extending towards the chain wheel. The upper and lower surfaces of the wedge member may each have a recess therein for receiving 'the tongue associated therewith. each tongue being insertable in the associated recess in either of two transposable positions. The chain wheel may have a peripheral groove and the tongues may have projecting fingers which locate within the groove.

Preferably each of the tongues may be connected to the wedge-shaped member in one or other of two laterally reversed positions so that chain wheels of different widths can be accommodated by detaching and reconnecting the tongues.

At least one of the side walls may have an aperture therein for enabling replacement of the chain wheel, said aperture being closed by means of a detachable cover. The cover may have a width commensurable with the width of the chain wheel used.

The invention also provides a frame composed of side walls adjoined by a horizontal wall and attachable as a unit to said conveyor, a drum for driving the scraper-chain assembly of the conveyor mounted between the side walls, one of said side walls having a bearing for rotatably supporting the drum and a detachable cover removable to expose said bearing, a further housing detachably secured to said one side wall and mounting a chain wheel therein said further housing being open at one end to permit a chain to be entrained around the chain wheel, and a wedge shaped guide member forming part of the structure of the further housing and providing rigidity in the region of the open end, said guide member having upper and lower guide surfaces for guiding the chain onto and away from the chain wheel.

In another aspect the invention provides a frame composed of side walls adjoined by a horizontal wall and attachable as a unit to said conveyor, a drum for driving the scraper-chain assembly of the conveyor mounted between the side walls, one of said side walls having a bearing for rotatably supporting the drum and a detachable cover removable to expose said bearing, a further wall defining a chamber between the said one side wall and the further wall, a chain wheel rotatably supported in the chamber, the detachable cover having a recess accommodating part of said chain wheel therein and a guide surface for guiding a chain entrained around said chain wheel.

Preferably the detachable cover is in the form of a disc and said guide surface is a bevel at the peripheral edge of the disc.

In a further aspect the invention provides a drive sta' tion for use with a scraper chain conveyor in mineral mining; said drive station comprising a frame with two sidewalls, a drum rotatably supported between the sidewalls, drive means for the drum carried by one of the sidewalls, a chain wheel located adjacent the other sidewall, support means for rotatably supporting said chain wheel, drive means for the chain wheel carried by said support means, means for guiding the support means for movement in relation to said other sidewalls, and means for effecting such movement of the support means.

The movement of the support means can enable access to the chain wheel and/or bearing of the drum to enable these components to be replaced. The support means may be an assembly or housing and the support means may be movable in a direction parallel to the axis of the conveyor or transversely thereto.

The various aspects and features of the invention may be understood more readily from consideration of the following description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of examples only, with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein.

FIG. I is a side view of an assembly made in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a part-sectional plan view of the assembly shown in FIG. I;

FIG. 3 is a side view of a frame which may be associ ated with the assembly;

FIG. 4 is a partsectional schematic plan view of the frame of FIG. 3 connected to an assembly made in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view of a drive station made in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 6 is a schematic plan view corresponding to FIG. 5 but showing some of the components in a different operating position; and

FIG. 7 is a schematic plan view of another form of drive station made in accordance with the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring initially to FIGS. 1 and 2 there is shown an assembly composed of a housing 10 with parallel side walls 11, I2 interconnected along their external edges with the aid of transverse webs 13. The webs 13 are welded to the walls 11, 12 so that the housing 10 is in the form of a rigid box-like structure. Each ofthe walls 11, I2 is of generally rectangular configuration and the wall I2 is provided with a longitudinal flange 14 at its lower edge and a generally upright flange I5 at the forward end thereof. The forward end of the housing 10, in the region of the flange 15 has an opening 21.

The housing 10 is attached by fixing means, such as bolts or screws. to a side wall I6 of a frame. The frame has a further side wall attached to the side wall I6 through a horizontal wall and the frame adjoins a scraper chain conveyor extending towards the opening 21 of the housing 10. The frame accommodates a drum I7 for driving the chain or chains of the scraper-schain assembly associated with the conveyor. Drive means, e.g., a motor. is preferably connected to the side wall of the frame opposite the housing 10 an is coupled to the drum 17. The drum I7 is supported in the side wall I6 by a blind bearing can be exposed by removing a de tachable cover plate 18 provided at the outside of the wall 16.

The housing 10 itself accommodates a chain wheel 19 disposed between the walls II, 12 and rotatably supported on a drive shaft (not shown). This shaft may extend across the frame and be coupled to drive means provided at the side wall of the frame opposite the housing 10. It is also possible for the drive means for the wheel I9 to be located on the side wall I2 of the housing I0 or the side wall 16 of the frame. The side wall 12 is provided with a circular hole 20 of sufficient diameter to allow the wheel 19 to be withdrawn or inserted therethrough. This hole 20 can be closed off my means of a detachable cover plate when the drive means for the wheel 19 is disposed at the side of the frame remote from the housing 10. The side wall 11 also has an aperture therein facing the chain wheel 19 which enables the wheel 19 to be withdrawn and inserted therethrough if desired. This aperture is closed off by means of a disc-like plate which can be detached from the wall II. The thickness of the plate 30 depends on the axial thickness of the wheel 19 used. The plate 30 has a central aperture 31 enabling the drive means, when located at the side of the frame remote from the housing I0, to be coupled to the wheel 19.

An endless chain used for driving an appliance, such as a plough guided on the conveyor, extends through the opening 21 and is entrained around the wheel I9. The chain is represented in FIG. 1 by chain-dotted lines. In the region of the opening 21 guide means in the form of a wedge-shaped member 22 is located between the walls ll, 12. This member 22 is welded to the walls l1, 12 to additionally reinforce the housing It] and provide rigidity to the housing I0 at the region of the opening 21. The member 22 is disposed at the longitudinal central plane of the housing It) and is symmetrical thereto. A widened portion 22' of the member 22 projects outwardly from the opening 2| and this portion 22' is wider than the width of the opening 2]. The member 22 has upper and lower surfaces 22a, 22b. which are inclined at an acute angle and which converge in a direction away from the opening 21 to terminate in a rounded end 23. The opposite terminal end 220 of the member 22 is disposed inside the housing I0 near the periphery of the wheel I9. The upper run 24 of the chain is guided by the surface 22b of the member 22 and the lower run 25 of the chain is guided by the surface 22a of the member 22. The member 22 thus guides the chain to and from the wheel I9 and prevents the upper and lower runs 24, 25 from contacting one another especially when the chain "whips or if one or other of the runs is suddenly tensioned or loosened.

Detachable tongues 26, 26' are attached to the sur faces 22b, 22a, of the member 22 respectively. More particularly, each of the surfaces 221), 22a has a recess 27 which receives part of the associated tongue 26, 26' so that the outer face of the tongue 26, 26' is co-planar with and forms a continuation of the surface 221). 22a. Screws 28 are used to affix the tongues 26, 26' to the member 22.

As shown in FIG. 2, the chain wheel 19 has a peripheral groove 29 and the tongues 26, 26' have narrow projections or fingers which extend into the groove 29. These fingers enable the run of the chain leaving the wheel 19 to become reliably disengaged therefrom. The tongues 26, 26' are adapted to be inserted into the recesses 27 either way up and since the fingers of the tongues 26 26' are offset at one side thereof each tongue 26, 26' can be detached from the member 22 and re-connected when reversed through I". The fingers of the tongues 26, 26' can thus adopt alternative positions and by way of illustration the alternative position for the tongues 26, 26' is shown in dotted lines and denoted 26" in FIG. 2. These alternative positions enable the same tongues 26, 26' to be used with chain wheels 19 of different axial thickness.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4 the housing 10, which is attached to the side wall 16 of the frame, is not shown in detail. The chain wheel I9 is in the case accommodated in a chamber defined between the housing 10 and the side wall 16 of the frame. This chamber is open at the top, bottom and end regions. The wheel 19 is located in the chamber to take the detachable cover 18, which closes off the blind bearing of the chain drum accommodated by the frame. and be dis posed remote from the associated conveyor. The cover 18 is a disclike body with a central recess 18" receiving part of the wheel 19 therein. The cover 18 has a generally frusto-conical diametric cross-section as shown in FIG. 4, to form an inclined or bevelled peripheral edge surface 18'. The surface 18' serves as a guide surface for guiding a chain onto and away from the wheel 19. The wheel 19 has a peripheral groove and shaped zones 29 are provided at the flanks of the groove to locate with the chain links. The cover 18 also has a central bore 18" which enables a drive shaft to be coupled to the wheel 19. A guide means of the type shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 by reference numeral 22 et al may also be incorporated in the structure.

Turning now to FIGS. 5 and 6, there is shown a drive station composed ofa frame with side walls 16, 16' adjoined by a horizontal wall 30 and an assembly of the general type shown in FIG. 3 and 4, i.e., with the chain wheel 19 remote from the conveyor. A drum 17 for the chains 31 of a scraperchain conveyor mounted at the end of the frame to form a continuous floor surface with the wall 30, is supported between the walls 16, 16'. A motor 32 connected to gearing in a gear box 33 and forming a composite drive means for the drum I7 is connected to the side wall 16'. Similarly a motor 34 connected to gearing in a gear box 35 and forming a composite drive means for the chain wheel 19 is connected to the outer side of the housing 10. The wheel 19 is accommodated in a recess 36 formed between the housing It] and the wall 16 and coupled to the gearing in the gear box 35 via a shaft extending through the housing I0. The wheel 19 serves to drive a chain 24, 25 to which some appliance such as a plough is attached. A guide means of the type shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and referenced 22 et al may be employed to guide the chain to and from the wheel I9.

The housing is engaged on a guide rail 37 disposed on the outside of the wall 16 so that the housing 10 can be moved in the direction of arrow A when the bolts or screws serving to secure the housing 10 to the wall 16 are removed.

The movement of the housing 10 along the rail 37 is effected with a hydraulic piston and cylinder unit 38 which is articulated to the housing 10 and to a bracket 39 provided on the side wall 31 of the conveyor. The bracket 39 is preferably detachable from the wall 31 and attachable thereto at various alternative positions as denoted by the reference numeral 39'. By displacing the housing 10 to the left of FIG. 5 by means of the unit 38 the wheel I9 can be made freely accessible for replacement purposes as represented by the ghost lines 19. Conversely by displacing the housing to the right of FIG. 5 the wheel 19 can be made to adopt the position shown in FIG. 6 thereby enabling access to the blind bearing and the drum 17 after removal of the cover 18. The unit 38 can also be used to control the tension in the chain 24, 25.

In a further modification represented in FIG. 7 the same reference numerals are used to denote similar features to FIGS. 5 and 6. In the case of FIG. 7 the housing 10 is not only movable in a direction longitudinally of the conveyor (A FIG. 5), but also in a transverse direction as represented by arrow B in FIG. 7. The motor 34, the gearbox 35 and the housing 10 are here all supported on a baseplate 40 and guided for movement in unison over the baseplate 40 with the aid of guide bars 41. A further hydraulic piston and cylinder unit directed parallel to the bars 41 my be connected between the housing I0 and a bracket connected to the baseplate 40 and this unit used to move the components 34, 35 in the direction of arrow B. The housing 10 is displaceable in the direction of the conveyor in the manner shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 and the baseplate 40 may be guided on the rail 37. A single unit 38 can be used to effect both movements of the com po nents 10, 34, 35. This unit 38 would be pivoted to the housing 10 and selectively connectible after swinging through to the brackets attached to the side of the conveyor and the baseplate 40. Thus the unit 38 would be capable of adopting one of two operating positions shown in full and ghost lines in FIG. 7. In this construction it is thus possible to move the housing 10 to the left of the FIGURE to allow access to the wheel 19. Then after re-connecting the unit 38 it is possible to move the housing 10 towards the lower part of the FIGURE and away from the frame in order to expose the cover 18.

In another version the facility for displacement of the housing 10 parallel to the conveyor (A FIG. 5) is dispensed with and the accessibility of the parts is merely accomplished by moving the housing in the direction of arrow B in FIG. 7.

We claim:

1. A drive station for use with a scraper chain conveyor in mineral mining comprising a frame with sidewalls adjoined by a substantially horizontal floor wall attachable to one end of the conveyor; an assembly with a housing detachable supported by one of said sidewalls; a drum for driving a scraper chain assembly of the conveyor rotatably supported between said sidewalls in a bearing provided on said one sidewall and accessible from the side of the sidewall nearest the asscmbly; a detachable cover attached to said one sidewall removable to permit access to said bearing; a chain wheel rotatably supported by said housing which normally adopts a position facing said cover; means for selectively moving the housing in either a direction transverse to or parallel to the longitudinal axis of the conveyor to permit the housing to adopt a position where the cover is accessible; and means for guiding the housing for movement in relation to said sidewall.

2. In a drive station for use with a scraper chain conveyor in mineral mining having a frame with sidewalls adjoined by a substantially horizontal floor wall attachable to one end of the conveyor and a drum rotatably supported between said sidewalls, the improvements comprising: a housing movably attached to one of said sidewalls at one end of said conveyor, a chain wheel rotatably attached to the housing in a chamber formed between said one of said sidewalls and the housing; means for selectively moving the housing in a direction either transverse to or parallel to the longitudinal axis of the conveyor to permit the housing to adopt a position where the chain wheel is located in an accessible position outwardly beyond said one sidewall; and means for guiding the housing for movement in relation to the sidewall. l

3. A drive station according to claim 2 wherein the chamber defined by said one side wall and by the housing, is located at said one end of said conveyor.

4. A drive station according to claim 2 wherein the housing guide means comprises a guide rail on which said housing is slidably guided. 

1. A drive station for use with a scraper chain conveyor in mineral mining comprising a frame with sidewalls adjoined by a substantially horizontal floor wall attachable to one end of the conveyor; an assembly with a housing detachable supported by one of said sidewalls; a drum for driving a scraper chain assemBly of the conveyor rotatably supported between said sidewalls in a bearing provided on said one sidewall and accessible from the side of the sidewall nearest the assembly; a detachable cover attached to said one side- wall removable to permit access to said bearing; a chain wheel rotatably supported by said housing which normally adopts a position facing said cover; means for selectively moving the housing in either a direction transverse to or parallel to the longitudinal axis of the conveyor to permit the housing to adopt a position where the cover is accessible; and means for guiding the housing for movement in relation to said sidewall.
 2. In a drive station for use with a scraper chain conveyor in mineral mining having a frame with sidewalls adjoined by a substantially horizontal floor wall attachable to one end of the conveyor and a drum rotatably supported between said sidewalls, the improvements comprising: a housing movably attached to one of said sidewalls at one end of said conveyor, a chain wheel rotatably attached to the housing in a chamber formed between said one of said sidewalls and the housing; means for selectively moving the housing in a direction either transverse to or parallel to the longitudinal axis of the conveyor to permit the housing to adopt a position where the chain wheel is located in an accessible position outwardly beyond said one sidewall; and means for guiding the housing for movement in relation to the sidewall. l
 3. A drive station according to claim 2 wherein the chamber defined by said one side wall and by the housing, is located at said one end of said conveyor.
 4. A drive station according to claim 2 wherein the housing guide means comprises a guide rail on which said housing is slidably guided. 